Attachment for kites and the like



Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,794

c. E. MOORE ATTACHMENT FOR KITES AND THE LIKE Filed May 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY CHESTER EJ400125 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 10, 1928.

Filed May 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o I Ii o mh, Z/

INVENTOR.

C HE STEE E. Moo/2:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented um. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER CE. MOORE, 01' LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR O1! ONE-BALI '10 ED- WARD S. PEER, 01!? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ATTACHMENT FOB KITES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed Kay 12, 1926. Serial No. 108,596.

My invention relates to and has for its purpose the provision of an attachment for kites, captive balloons and the like by whlch heavier than air articles of different characters can be lifted into the air and automatically released at any predetermined height and thus allowed to precipitate to the earth. A further object of my invention is the 19 provision of an attachment of theabove described character by which an number of heavier than air articles can e independently and successively elevated and released, the attachment operating in such manner that followin the release of a single article it returns to t e earth on the cord of the kite so as to permit the elevation and release of a second article. My invention is capable of use as a toy by children for elevating and dropping various articles from kites and, further, as a means of aerial advertising through the elevation and release of parachutes, toy balloons and the like, bearing advertising matter, and also the aerial distribution of advertising circulars to subse uently descend to widely spaced points on t e ground.

I will describe only one formof attachment for kites embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanyin drawings,

Figure 1 is 'a view s owi in perspective a flying kite having applied t ereto one form of attachment embodyln my invention and with the carriage thereof in upward traveling position;

F1 re 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showmg the carriage of the attachment in 0 its upward limit of travel and with the latching device thereof open;

Fi re 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the wings of the carriage in folded position and in the act of descending the kite cord;

Figure v4 is a top plan view of the carriage com rised in the attachment shown in the prece ing views;

Figure 5 is a view showing the carriage in side elevation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.-

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention, in its present embodiment, is

-to the bar 18 while in slldmg movement 9 and thus shown applied to the cord 15 of a conventional form of box kite 16, although it is to be understood that my invention is adaptable to other forms of aerial devices than kites, such as captive balloons. My inventlon, in its present embodiment, comprises an abutment 17 which, in the present instance, is in the form of a cork interposed in the kite cord 15 and preferably at a point adjacent the kite 16, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The attachment includes a carriage mounted for movement on the kite cord and comprising a bar 18 of wood or other suitable material carrying spaced eyes 19 through which the kite cord extends and by which the bar is supported for movement on the kite cord. Depending from the bar 18 and secured to the latter at a point substantially medially of its ends is'a vertical bar 20 (Figure 5) upon which is mounted by means of hinges 21 a pair of wings 22 ca able of occupying extended position, as s own in Figure 1, or folded position as shown in Fi ure 3. These Wings may be constructed 1n any suitable manner. In the present instance, they are formed of wooden frames spanned by sheets of paper 23 and a cord 24 is connected to the outer ends of the two frames so as to extend to the rearward side of the wings. In the extended position of the wings, they are disposed at right angles folded position they lie contiguous and parallel to the bar, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

The rear end of the bar 18 is recessed to provide a keeper 25 for a sliding latch 26- having an operating rod 27 mounted for on the upper edge of the bar 18 by means of staples 28. As shown in Figure 4, ortions of the operating rod are bent asin icated at 27 to clear the eyes 19 ermit free operation ofthe'rod in moving t e latch 26 to open and closed position. The latch is normally urged to closed position as shown in Figure 5 by means of a resilient member 29 in the form of an elastic band, one end of which is connected to an eye 30 formed in the operating rod while the other end is connected to the front eye 19. The forward end'of the operating rod' is provided with an upward extension or arm 31 Which is de ressed in advance of the forward end of t e bar 18 and above the latter so as to engage the abutment 17 and thereby move the operating rod rearwardl against the tension of a band 29, where y the latch 26 is moved to open position.

As shown in Figure 1, the cord 24 in the starting position of the carriage is held within the keeper 25 by the latch 26, so as to maintain the wings 22 in extended position, but it will be understood that when the latch is opened the cord is released, thus permitting the wings to move to folded position.

a In operation of the attachment, the carriage in starting position is at the lowerend of the kite cord 15, it being understood that the kite cord in its association with flying kite 16 is inclined upwardly from the ground to the kite. The article to be elevated and released is now secured to the bar 18 by means of the latch 26, and this article, in the present instance, is shown as a para-. chute 32. With the parachute applied, the wings 22 are, held in extended position whereupon under the action of the wind they propel the carriage upwardly on the kite cord until it reaches the abutment 17 when the arm 31 strikes the abutment to move the latchto open position and thereby release the parachute so that the latter is free to precipitate to the earth. With opening of the latch, the cord 24 is released so that under the impact generated as a result of the sudden check in the upward travel of the carriage and the pressure of the wind the wings 22 are swung to folded position, as shown in Figure 3. Thus they are no longer responsive to the action of the wind and, hence, under the action of gravity perinit the carriage to descend the kite cord back to the ground. The carriage is now ready for the elevation and release of a second article, and in this manner any number of articles can be elevated to any desired height, depending upon the position of the abutment 17, and released to descend to the ground through the air.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of attachment for kites and the like embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention riage by matinee and the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 7

ll claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a flying kite having an abutment on the cord thereof, an article carriage movable on the cord and having wings responsive to the action of wind to cause the carriage to travel upwardly on the cord, a latch on the carriage for attaching an article to the carriage and for maintaining the wings in extended position, and means on the carriage adapted to engage the abutment and open the latch to release the article, and to check further upward movement of the carriage whereby the wings are released and caused to fold and thereby allow the carriage to descend the kite cord to the earth. v

2. An attachment for kites and the like comprising a carriage having wings thereon normally extended and capable of being folded, a latch on the carriage by which an article is attached to the carriage for movement therewith andthe wings maintained in extended position, and an abutment by which the latch is adapted to be opened to release the article and the wings to permit the latter to fold.

3. An attachment for kites comprising a carriage having foldable wings thereon responsive when extended to the action of the wind for causing the carriage to travel upwardly of the kite cord, a latch on the carwhich an article is attached to the carriage to travel upwardly therewith, and a flexible member connected to the wings and engaged by the latch to retain the wings in extended position.

4. Am attachment for kites comprising an elongated body, a bar depending-from the body, wings foldable on the bar, eyes on the body through which a kite cord is adapted to extend, a rod slidable on the body and having an extension at one end and a latch at the other, a keeper on thebody in which said latch engages, an eye on the rod, a resilient member connecting the rod eye with one of the body eyes to yieldably urge the rod to a position in which the latch engages within the keeper, and a flexible member connected to the wings and engaged by the latch to retain the wings against folding.

CHESTER E. MOORE. 

